


The Homecoming Blush

by Nerd_Peridot



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff, Humor, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 01:41:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8602207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerd_Peridot/pseuds/Nerd_Peridot
Summary: In Amethyst’s mind, she had determined what was supposed to be THE running joke of the weekend: Pretending that she and Peridot were teenagers on a date for Homecoming. The goal was to get Peridot to blush more than she’d ever blushed in her life. But what really ended up happening was... unexpected.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, all! This was originally posted on my Tumblr page as part of the "Autumn Fic Meme" challenge. Many thanks to Tumblr user kcjenkinsofficial for the "homecoming" suggestion!

The joke all started when Steven had to cancel the Shorty Squad’s plans to hang out.

“I’m really sorry, guys," Steven groaned in disappointment. "Dad needs my help with the car wash float for the Homecoming parade. I don’t think I’ll have time for any of the stuff we were going to do.”

“Perfectly understandable,” Peridot nodded. “Duty calls. Though I must admit, I am a little disappointed to miss experiencing this ‘Homecoming’ we were going to attend.”

“Well, if you and Amethyst want to go without me, I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, Peri! Why don’t you and I pair up?” Amethyst slid her arm around Peridot’s waist, and that’s when it happened. Peridot blushed. If there was one thing Amethyst found entertaining, it was teasing her friends and making them blush. Encouraged, she decided to up the ante. With a smirk and waggling eyebrows, she cooed, “What’d’ya say? Wanna go steady for Homecoming?”

“What do you mean? I’m always steady. I mean, sure, I may trip and fall every once in a while, but…”

Amethyst guffawed and patted Peridot on her back. _‘Good ol’ Peridot,’_ she thought. _‘This is going to be fun.’_

* * *

In Amethyst’s mind, she had determined what was supposed to be THE running joke of the weekend: Pretending that she and Peridot were teenagers on a date for Homecoming. The goal was to get Peridot to blush more than she’d ever blushed in her life. Unfortunately, compared to Peridot’s earlier blushing, none of Amethyst’s jokes seemed to be having as much of an effect.

When they went to the pep rally, she swiped an abandoned letterman’s jacket and laid it upon Peridot’s shoulders, enthusing that Peridot “should be wearing my jacket.” Maybe it was because the marching band and cheering crowd were too loud for them to talk, but apart from some confused looks, Peridot didn’t really respond.

When they watched the football game and it got chilly, she laid a blanket across both their laps and scooted wayyyy closer than any friend had a right to. No response.

When they walked in the parade next to Greg’s float, she linked arms with her through the whole thing, and she told her that the crowd should vote for them to be Homecoming King and Queen. No blush, no nothing.

On the last day, the school’s Homecoming Dance would have presented tons of opportunities to continue the joke, but by then, it wasn’t funny anymore. Not only because Peridot wasn’t responding as predicted, but because Amethyst had realized something during their time together.

She liked walking arm and arm with Peridot in the parade.

She liked sitting together under the blanket.

She liked how it felt to have “her girl” wearing “her” jacket.

And now, in this moment, she realized she liked seeing Peridot’s pretty blue (borrowed) Homecoming dress hugging her curves. She liked hearing Peridot’s adorable, exuberant laugh when their dance moves got a little goofy. Even more so, Amethyst liked holding her as they danced.

They weren’t able to go inside for the real Dance, of course. (All the shapeshifting and disguises in the world couldn’t hide the fact that Amethyst and Peridot weren’t students… not that they didn’t try.) But just outside the gym in the open night air and moonlight, they could still hear the music from the DJ. Most of the songs had been fast and rhythmic, and Amethyst had done her best to teach her how to move to the music. Once the slow song started, she had rationalized that it would have looked suspicious to end the lessons there.

“This event seems really familiar,” Peridot spoke up, as they rocked back and forth together. “Where do I know this from?” Suddenly, Peridot stopped. “Ohhh, is this ‘Dance’ thing supposed to be a Social?”

“A what now?”

“A Social. Like in the Camp Pining Hearts season one episode, ‘The Summer Nights Social.’ Campers from every color team gathered together for one night to dance and drink punch and make long dramatic eye contact with their love interests. It’s where Percy and Paulette danced together. Their first…” Suddenly her eyes widened. Her hands pulled away from Amethyst’s shoulders and froze in mid-air. “Oh my stars. Is this what they call a… date?”

“Umm…”

“Have we… have we been going on dates this whole time?”

There was a very intense look on Peridot’s face, but it was impossible for Amethyst to read. Was she happy about the idea? Confused? Disgusted? There was no clue to help Amethyst figure out how to respond. “No. Yes. I dunno… maybe?” She sighed. Knowing Peridot, it was probably best to be as straight-forward and honest as possible. “Technically, this is just a friend thing, but yes, a lot of the stuff we’ve been doing is what people do on dates.”

“So what’s the difference?”

“Oh geez, I dunno, Peri.” She bit her lip. “This isn’t really my area of expertise. I guess it becomes a date when the people doing it WANT it to be a date.”

Eyes locked with Amethyst’s, Peridot let Amethyst’s words sink in. She shook her head. “Well this is unacceptable,” Peridot said. Amethyst’s heart sunk into her stomach for a second, until Peridot immediately continued, “If I had known this might be a date, I would have asked for more time to prepare!”

“Prepare?”

“Yes! Prepare!” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “I don’t have any flowers for you! No chocolates! I don’t even have a corsage to pin on you!” Peridot ranted with wild, frustrated hand gestures.

“Relax, relax.” Amethyst laid a hand on her shoulder, but her spirit had soared at Peridot’s rantings. If she ever had any lingering doubt to her own feelings for this adorable green gem, it was cleared up now. “So I take it that means you want this to be a date?”

Peridot blinked. “Well of course. I… I’ve always admired you, Amethyst.” And there was that blush Amethyst had been hoping for all weekend. “That aside… ever since I was introduced to the concept, I’ve never been sure if ‘dating’ is something I’d want for myself. But even though I always have a wonderful time with you, it’s been even better this weekend. Being alone with you, acting as a partner with you, tou—” She gulped and then forced herself to continue. “Touching you. It’s been… nice. If this is what dating is like, then yes, I’d like to categorize what we’ve been doing as dating. What about you?”

Amethyst smiled and simply said, “Ditto.”

“What does that m— oh.” After Amethyst kissed her cheek, it seemed as though her entire face was now filled with a blue blush.

 _‘Mission accomplished… finally!’_ Amethyst thought to herself. As she gently took Peridot’s hand in hers, she marveled at how it felt so right.

In fact, it felt like coming home.


End file.
